Left: Susan M. Yecies. Right: Embroidered Two-sided Dragon Amulet with Snake and Four Hanging Pieces with Snakes, Rabbit, Flowers and Vegetables, Ending in Tassels; amulet; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
Founded in 2011, Bard Graduate Center’s growing Study Collection has become an essential component of BGC’s pedagogy. According to Professor Deborah Krohn, “Because the objects in the Study Collection are onsite and under our care, students can literally start their questioning with the object—an approach that is the cornerstone of a BGC education.” BGC alum Billy DeGregorio (MA ’12, PhD ’21), currently associate curator in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, said, “Taking every opportunity to handle objects was especially important to me and other people in my class. And the expansion of the Study Collection is so critical because it ensures students will have even more of those opportunities.”
BGC now celebrates the legacy of Susan M. Yecies, a longtime Study Collection donor who passed away on August 19, 2025. Susan—who grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and lived in Harlem—received her BA from Yale in 1971 and was president of her own marketing and PR firm, Yecies Associates. She graciously gifted over 300 objects from her collection to BGC—more than any other private donor to date.
Top left: Money Purse Covered with Silver Amulets (Milagros); purse (ladies’ accessory); Peruvian; leather; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
Top right: Pantografica Ring; ring (jewelry); designer: Humberto Campana (Brazilian, b. 1953) and Fernando Campana (Brazilian, b. 1961), retailer: H. Stern (New York location); diamonds and stainless steel; Creation location: Brazil; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
Bottom left: Charm Bracelet; charm bracelet; creation date: c. 1920s-1940s; silver; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
Bottom right: Ceramic Sculpture, Probably in Shape of a Lily; sculpture (visual work); ceramicist: Hiroshi Konuma (Japanese); Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
Susan’s gifts to BGC began with a teacup and saucer collection from her late mother and grew exponentially from there with works from well-known Manhattan department stores such as Takeshimaya (closed 2010), Bergdorf Goodman, and Barneys New York (closed 2020). Her donations to the Study Collection reflect her world travels, which she began as a high school exchange student in Argentina. BGC’s collection has two mate cups—often used by our students—from this trip. A significant number of the objects in the collection from Latin America, Asia, and the Near East come from Susan, as well as most of the Native pottery from the American Southwest. Over time, Susan gifted a substantial collection of her personal jewelry, with many items by Ted Muehling and Gabriella Kiss. She also donated numerous examples of modern tableware including works by Alvar Aalto, Eva Zeisel, and the Swedish firm Boda Nova. We deeply appreciate Susan’s generosity in helping us expand our collection. Students rarely leave BGC without a personal encounter with her objects. She will be greatly missed.
(1) Safety Pin Brooch; brooch; creation date: 1970s; retailer: Yves Saint Laurent (French, act. 1962-); leather, silver, and metal; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies. (2) Flower Bracelet; bracelet (jewelry); creation date: 20th century; Turkish; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies. (3) Gaucho Mate Cup with Silver Edge and Straw; cup; creation date: mid 20th century; Argentine; black etched gaucho theme, gourd with silver/metal straw; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies. (4) Gooseberries Brooch; brooch; retailer: Fabrice (French); resin, brass, wire, and metal; Bard Graduate Center Study Collection, Gift of Susan M. Yecies.
The stewardship and preservation of objects such as those generously donated to the Study Collection by Susan M. Yecies is central to Bard Graduate Center’s mission and ongoing work. If you would like to make a gift to support the Study Collection Fund, contact Lindsay Smilow, Chief Advancement Officer, at 212.501.3072 or [email protected].
